February might be a short month, but we have a lot to do, support, and advocate for!
Your elected executive committee will be meeting to set our strategic goals and approve committee budgets. This might seem in the “Florida Native Weeds” to our members, but though it is time consuming, this work is vital for our functioning. There are always committee meetings scheduled to move our Sierra Club mission forward.
We will be speaking to the Palm Beach County Commissioners about environmental issues on Tuesday, February 3 at 2:00 in their council chambers and we will be speaking again on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 9:30 at the Solid Waste Authority auditorium, on reducing our solid waste. Please join us! We also are meeting with commissioners in their offices and with county citizen advisory boards.
We are hosting a table at Everglades Day on Saturday, February 14 from 10:00-3:00 and again on Saturday, February 21 from 10:00-1:00 at Riverbend. If you have never attended one of our tabling events, consider this your engraved invitation.
There are actually two fabulous Galaxy Sand Pine Preserve clean-ups in February, please see the Outings section for details and registration. Join us and you don’t have to go to the gym that day. Fun and exercise with a purpose.
Many Sierra Club members are traveling to Tallahassee for our Sierra Club Lobby Day and FL Chapter quarterly meeting. We all know how close Tallahassee is right?
Our February 26 General Membership Meeting presents a discussion on the status of Everglades Restoration after 25 years of state legislated focus. This is critical information that we need to share not only with our members but also with the public.
The month is ending with a Fun Fundraising Sip and Paint Party. Ok, it is actually on March 1st, but if this was a leap year it would have fallen on February 29.
Christopher McVoy, Ph.D., is an Everglades science expert, member of the board of Friends of the Everglades, book author (Landscapes and Hydrology of the Pre-drainage Everglades), Lake Worth Beach city commissioner, and 2026 Everglades Coalition Public Service Award recipient.
A quarter century after the 2000 Congressional authorization of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), some in government have become reluctant to sustain funding and eager to declare “Mission Accomplished!”
Dr. McVoy will use photos, maps, and models to help us understand why that declaration would be premature, and especially why the Everglades still needs our continued advocacy.
Our meetings are free and open to the public, but please register so we know how many to expect.
Our next FUN fundraising event is knocking at your door!
The Sip-N-Paint Event will be led by the talented artist Deborah La Fogg Docherty of LaFogg.Fine Art. Her art is inspired by a deep love and admiration for the environment and all things “wild.”
As a conservation artist, Deborah is familiar with Sierra Club’s long history of protecting our environment and she has been a loyal supporter of our local Loxahatchee Group.
This is a unique opportunity for us to participate in a creative afternoon, inspired and guided by a uniquely talented artist in a unique creative hub in West Palm Beach.
Spend some time creating and helping us raise funds.
Sierra Club paddlers at Okeeheelee Park in January (Photo by Ron Haines)
JOIN US IN FEBRUARY
Saturday, February 7, 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Galaxy Sand Pine Preserve Service Outing
We invite you to join us as we continue to work on our habitat restoration project at the Galaxy Sand Pine Preserve. We are making sure the nature trail will be safe for the second graders of Galaxy Elementary when they venture out on their first field trip of the year. We will work along the trail, cutting thorny vines, shrubs and removing any tripping hazards. If we have time, we can free trees and shrubs from the throes of love - love vine that is, and dig up dense stands of snake plant that make life difficult for our resident gopher tortoises. Long sleeved shirts, hats, gloves and long pants are recommended. Closed-toe shoes are a must – thorns in the scrub! Please bring water, hand tools, like clippers, loppers, hand trowels, and a shovel, if you have them. Gloves, a few shovels and trash grabbers will be provided. Leader: Lisa Hanley Registration
Wednesday, February 11, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Yamato Scrub Natural Area – Slow Down & Look Closer Hike (~2 miles)
Join us for a relaxed, exploratory morning hike through Yamato Scrub Natural Area in southern Palm Beach County. We will move at an unhurried pace, beginning on a paved accessible trail before venturing into the northern section of the Skyblue Lupine hiking trail. Along the way, we’ll explore open scrub, pine flatwoods, and basin marsh, while observing native plants, seasonal changes, and any wildlife we encounter. Trail conditions include paved paths as well as uneven sandy trail with exposed roots. This is an easy-paced hike, but participants should be comfortable walking on natural terrain. There are no restrooms or drinking water available on site. Leader: Michelle Dunaway Registration
The Annual Weed Wrangle at Galaxy Sand Pine Scrub Preserve, in time for National Invasive Species Awareness Week (February 23 – 27) When: Tuesday, February 17, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m Please arrive by 8:15-8:30. Who: This is a two-part venture: an ECISMA (Everglades Comprehensive Invasive Species Management Area) work event and a local kids tour. Professionals from county, state and federal environmental agencies come out to weed and work that day.
What: Second graders from Galaxy Elementary School will visit the nature trail, see a gopher tortoise presentation and see us removing invasive plants along the nature trail, the restoration area, future waif gopher tortoise recipient site and adjacent areas. This is the third year that the ECISMA folks have selected the Galaxy Sand Pine Preserve as a work site. They’re a terrific group of dedicated public servants and really hard workers! Come join the fun! Register and sign the waiver. Leader: Lisa Hanley Registration
Sunday, February 22, 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Fran Reich Preserve – Hidden Wilderness Hike (~3 miles)
Join us for a slow, exploratory hike through Fran Reich Preserve — a small but surprisingly wild pocket tucked between development and the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. We’ll move at an unhurried pace, pausing to notice animal tracks and signs, seasonal plants, birds, dragonflies, and other subtle stories of wildlife using this area as a corridor between habitats. Every visit here reveals something different. Trail conditions are uneven and rugged, with gravel, broken hardpan, dirt trails, muddy stretches, occasional standing water, and short sections of thick vegetation. Waterproof footwear and long pants are recommended. Leader: Michelle Dunaway Registration
Excellent Volunteer Opportunity for Beginners to Get Involved
Sierra Club Tablers
Looking for a way to contribute to the Loxahatchee Group? Here’s an easy and fun way to do it. Join us at one of our tabling events. It takes just a few hours and all you need is a smile and a willingness to chat with people.
We always need volunteers for our display table at various community events. The Nature Fest at MacArthur Beach State Park on March 7 from 10 to 4 is a fun one! Give us a couple hours of your time and enjoy the rest of your day at the festival. See flyer below.
Go to Events on the Loxahatchee Group website and sign up.
MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS
We want to highlight your participation!
Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group members and supporters were at it again last month.
Volunteers didn't just pick up trash off the ground, they also pulled it out of palm trees!
The last volunteer event of 2025 for Palm Beach County Environmental Resource Management on Dec. 31, had a little bit of everything: trash to pick up, sparkling cider to drink, and the last sunset of 2025 to enjoy. A group of 18 volunteers, including Sabrina Carle , spent several hours removing trash from Winding Waters Natural Area in West Palm Beach. The group focused their efforts on the natural area's border with Dyer Boulevard and Haverhill Road. They found plenty of trash - enough to fill 17 large bags. After the cleanup, the volunteers toasted the New Year with sparkling cider and watched the sunset from the boardwalk and observation platform. What an awesome way to close out the year. Thank you, volunteers, for working so hard throughout the year to keep Palm Beach County's natural areas clean and green.
Kay Gates, Commissioner Woodward, Richard Stowe, and Linda Smithe
On January 5, members Kay Gates, Richard Stowe and Linda Smithe met with Palm Beach County Vice Mayor, District 4 Commissioner Marci Woodward and discussed plans for the new revised Milani Beachfront Park. We are happy to report the plans are moving forward. Construction is to start this year. The park will include parking, a boardwalk for beach access, and lifeguard protection. Sierra Club members emphasized native plantings and suggested parking strategies to help the public get the most out of the new beachfront park
Please contact Linda Smithe if you or a Sierra Club member you know does something to further our Mission: To explore and enjoy and protect the wild places of the earth. To practice and promote the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources. To educate and enlist humanity to protect and to restore the quality of the natural and human environment. And to use all lawful means to carry out those objectives.
JANUARY GENERAL MEETING REPORT
Linda Smithe (left) and Allyn Childress (right) ready to hand out prizes to audience members who correctly answered the mystery question on the presentation.
Allyn Childress, Conservation Director of FWCF, talking to audience of SC Loxahatchee Group and Mounts Botanical Garden members.
Question: What protects 1,700 at-risk species, creates 114,000 jobs and contributes $30 billion to annual Florida revenue?
Answer: The Florida Wildlife Corridor.
These were a few of the fascinating facts we learned in January, when the Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group collaborated with Mounts Botanical Garden to present a program on the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
Allyn Childress, conservation director of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation (FWCF), gave us a great overview of the Wildlife Corridor that covered:
• generational changes in available Florida wildlife habitat
• existing connections between blocks of undeveloped land
• state legislation responsible for creating and funding the corridor
• numerous gaps that still need to be filled in between areas of wildlife-friendly habitat
Allyn discussed the urgency to finish the corridor, the increasing vulnerability of various patches of land, and the viable solutions that FWCF is endeavoring to put in place.
Currently, the Florida Wildlife Corridor extends throughout Everglades National Park, 75 state parks, and 32 National Forests; however, many key areas need to be added to reach completion.
Allyn shared a tool we all can use to help. Go to the Corridor Compatible Communities Guidelines. Pick a few things you can do in your back yard or in your community. There is something everyone can do. Even a pot of native flowering plants on your balcony can help.
WE LOVE TO SERVE!
Group photo
Carolyn, visiting family and volunteering with us - thank you! Holding love vine.
At our January 10 service outing at Galaxy Sand Pine Preserve, we welcomed new volunteers, Danielle Lamping and Tony Seves, who were invited by our steadfast volunteer, Sabrina Carle. The three met each other through their participation in Environmental Resource Management clean-ups. Not only did Tony and Danielle join us on this service outing, they joined the Sierra Club on the spot! We worked on clearing the nature trail, tackling aggressive native “love vine” and the highly invasive and destructive snake plant – still sold to the public even though it is considered a noxious weed. For more information on invasive and noxious weeds in Florida, check out the write up of our January 2025 general meeting in the February 2025 issue of Turtle Tracks
Our next outing is February 7, when we will continue to work along the trail, making sure it’s safely walkable for the second-grade students of Galaxy Elementary School. Their first field study of the year is on February 17, during National Invasive Species week.
Resource Depot, a Palm Beach County facility, has been a long-time favorite place for many Sierrans to recycle, up-cycle and shop. It is a unique opportunity to keep perfectly good items out of the Solid Waste Authority’s landfill and incinerator and it provides teachers and small business operators with bargain priced supplies. Check out their website
Our Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group’s Camp Scholarship Fund supports Resource Depot’s Recycled Art Camp. Following them online is another way to help Resource Depot’s mission and fundraising. Whether you donate, shop, or do both, fun and happiness is guaranteed.
When it’s time to clean out your closet, check out their website for what they need and do not need. Donations accepted until February 21, Tuesday - Thursday 11 AM - 5:00 PM and Saturdays 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. While on the site, check out the various events during REfashion Weekend, March 6-9.
TWO UPCOMING SIERRA CLUB BROWARD GROUP EVENTS
February General Meeting - In person and virtual.
When: Thursday, Feb. 5, 6:30 - 8:15 p.m.
Where: Veterans Park, 7600 NW 50th St., Lauderhill, FL
For the past 24 years, Lee has developed and executed more than 300 eco-action programs that involved thousands of students and adult volunteers. Through this volunteer-driven approach, he has contributed to restoring vital coastal habitats across the tri-county region.
Put March 8 on your calendar now and plan to attend another great Earth Day celebration with the Broward Group. The 2026 edition theme is “Water is at the Center of Everything.” Take part in this family-friendly day packed with learning about the work of different environmental organizations, as well as three thought-provoking lectures that will inspire us to understand the responsibility of being good stewards to our planet and to take responsibility for protecting and preserving Earth’s resources.
(Editors’ note: Oleander Garden Club of the Palm Beaches, Inc. helped the Loxahatchee Group with our November floral fundraising event.)
What:Sounds of Spring 2026 will feature gourmet hors d’oeuvres, wine and an outdoor concert. Returning will be the club’s signature orchid sale, a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle.
When: Thursday, March 12 from 5:00-7:30 p.m.
Cost: $40.00 per person
Where: Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
Parish Hall and Courtyard
Questions: Call Pat Welch (561) 271-0709
RSVP: by March 6 to Pat Welch, 2792 Irma Lake Drive, West Palm Beach, Florida 33411.
Include your name, address, contact phone number, email, names of guest if paying for more than one person. Make checks payable to Oleander Garden Club of the Palm Beaches.
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About Turtle Tracks
Turtle Tracks is the monthly newsletter of the Sierra Club Florida Loxahatchee Group. It contains environmental news and activities of interest to Sierra Club members and supporters in Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties. Contributions from readers are welcomed. Please review our submission guidelines.
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